The Dance Studio of Union Parish

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What's Going on NOW!

If you're interested in our next full year session, check out our Available Class Description page to find out more about the classes we offer! You can also view our Schedule of Classes for the current year schedule! There's something for EVERYONE!

REGISTRATION: To prepare for our next season registration, check out our Registration page to find a link to download a PDF of our Studio Brochure and Blank Registration forms. Remember a registration form will only be accepted if fully filled out, signed, and returned with the non-refundable registration fee and first tuition payment. You may register by mail, drop off, or come by.

Due to COVID-19, office hours are currently by appointment only, so see our contact information below to schedule a registration appointment!

Classes for our regular season begin in mid-September. You can register anytime for Music Movers, Itsy Bitsy, Cheer & Tumble, or (Non-Recital) Acro

Address

301 N. Lafayette St.

Farmerville, La 71241

Contact

318-548-0124

dsup@mail.com

Hours

By Appointment Only

Our Lobby is currently closed due to COVID-19. Ms Vickie may be contacted to make an appointment. Masks are currently required for appointments.

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About The Dance Studio of Union Parish

The Dance Studio of Union Parish is owned and operated by Farmerville resident Angela Cusimano Russell and has been in operation in Farmerville since 2005. We are a recreational studio providing dance and acro classes to all ages of all skill levels in the fields of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and gymnastics. We are also proud to offer all of our students a chance to attend competitions, conventions, and intensive workshops with organizations such as Dance Teachers United, Southern Association of Dance Masters, The Streetz Dance Convention, NYLA, and Twin City Ballet Company. Over the years we've been awarded top 10, top 5, top 3, and first placements, choreography awards, and several special judges awards along with the the privilege to have encore performances of winning or judges favorite pieces for solos, duets, trios, groups, and production pieces. Our students have often performed at local festivals for entertainment. Our favorite performances include the yearly Christmas performances at the local nursing homes, the annual Watermelon Festival Pageant, in 2018 our Level 5 girls performed at the Miss Tech Pageant, and then in the summer of 2019, our Ms Carsyn was blessed to perform on the Miss Louisiana Pageant stage. Our primary goal is to provide a high quality of dance and tumble instruction while nurturing students grace, creativity, individuality, strength, and social skills as well as giving everyone a safe place to belong without fear of rejection. #DSUPFam

Our Team

#DSUPFamily

Ms Angie

Owner/Primary Instructor

Angela Cusimano Russell, better known as Ms Angie, is the daughter of Joe & Susan Cusimano and a lifetime resident of Farmerville. She began taking dance at the age of 3. She attended Miss Jamie's, Miss Kelley's, and finally Miss Heather's School of Dance. By Jr high school she was a teacher's assistant and soon after became a member of the competition team attending numerous Southern Association of Dance Masters Conventions and Twin City Ballet Workshops. In 2005, Ms Angie opened DSUP hoping to continue the work of one of her most important influences, teacher, friend, and mentor Ms. Heather Tyler Storm.

Ms Angie is certified in ballet, tap, jazz, and acro under The Southern Association of Dance Masters. She has her BA in English from Louisiana Tech. Ms Angie has choreographed many award winning competition production, group, and solo pieces. She has worked with several pageant contestants over the years including instructing, choreographing, and rehearsing Miss Louisiana contestants for the event. Ms Angie often attends dance conventions and competitions to continue her education and refresh her choreography.

Ms Angie & her husband Jake Russell welcomed their long awaited first child, Miss Isla Rose, on November 4th, 2018.

Ms Starla

Instructor

Starla Gatson began studying dance at the age of 7, though according to her parents, she was dancing long before then. Her training began with Angela Cusimano Russell at the Dance Studio of Union Parish in 2005, and is proud to say she has been a part of the #DSUPFam ever since. After several years of assisting classes at the studio, she joined the staff as an instructor in 2013, following her certification in ballet, tap, jazz, and acrobatics instruction by the Southern Association of Dance Masters.

Starla was a member of the award-winning DSUP teen/senior competition teams from 2011-2019 and performed in trios, small groups, and as a soloist. She has attended numerous dance competitions and conventions, training under established dancers and choreographers at organizations including The Streetz Dance, NYLA Dance, Southern Association of Dance Masters, and Dance Teachers United. She was also a performing member of the Twin City Ballet Company from 2012-2019, finishing her tenure with the company as an Artist-in-Residence. Each year, she participated in the company’s annual Christmas gala, Ballet Under the Stars, and also performed with the company in the Regional Dance America Southwest festivals in 2018 and 2019.

Starla graduated from Louisiana Tech University in November 2018 with a B.A. in Communication Studies and Journalism, and on the rare occasion that she is not dancing or thinking about dancing, Starla works as a freelance writer, having had her work published in BayouLife Magazine, Ruston Daily Leader, and Darling Magazine Online.

Ms Carsyn

Instructor

Carsyn Brasher is the daughter of Carol and Billy Brasher of Farmerville, LA. She is starting her 16th year of dance and has been with Ms. Angie and DSUP since 2009. Carsyn has been part of DSUP’s award-winning competition teams for the better part of a decade, and she has earned numerous accolades as a soloist, duet partner, and small group member. She has been a teacher’s assistant for several years for ages 2 and up in every class DSUP offers, and in 2019, after testing with the Southern Association of Dance Masters, she became a Certified Student Teacher in ballet, tap, jazz, and acrobatics.

In addition to dancing with DSUP, Carsyn has also been a member of the Twin City Ballet Company since 2012 and currently performs as a Senior member of the company. Each year, she has played roles in the company’s annual Christmas gala and Ballet Under the Stars performances, and performed with the company at the Regional Dance America Southwest festivals in 2018 and 2019. Carsyn has also studied under world famous instructors through organizations such as Twin City Ballet, Southern Association of Dance Masters, Dance Teachers United, The Streetz, and NYLA Dance.

Carsyn is a 2020 graduate of Union Christian Academy, where she was one of two captains of the varsity cheer squad during the 2018-19 academic year and provided much of the group’s performance choreography. Carsyn excelled on and off the dance floor during her high school years, maintaining a 4.0 GPA as well as being an active member of the National Honors Society and 4H Club. She currently attends the University of Louisiana Monroe and majors in accounting.

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COVID-19 POLICIES & PRECAUTIONS

We plan to follow all mandates set forth by the Louisiana State Governor’s Office. We will update by e-mail and on Facebook as changes are made. As of the date of the production of this information that includes the following mandates and precautions.

-Masks are required for all staff and students age 8+ and recommended for all.
-Our lobby & office is closed except by appointment.
-Students must be dropped off and picked up using the drive-thru (see drive thru info on back).
-Students may not change in the studio. We also ask that when possible, students use the restroom at home before coming to class. The bathroom is a high touch area we’d like to avoid.

-Students must wash or sanitize their hands entering and exiting using soap or sanitizer we provide unless they bring their own.
-Students must not wear class shoes outside the studio. They will leave those shoes in the lobby and put on their class shoes once they have entered the studio rooms. We highly recommend slip on shoes for entering and exiting.
-We are allowing 15-30 minute breaks between every class where the groups completely change in order to aid in drop off, pick up, and cleaning the floors and high-touch surfaces. If there is not a break between classes we are anticipating the classes to have the same students enrolled in those classes though new students might join the 2nd class. We may need to adjust these after enrollment begins.

-Students will be spaced 6’ or more apart using a grid on the floor. We will suspend prop sharing or partner work & hand holding generally used in classes until we are advised it is safe to do so.

While all of this may sound overwhelming, we promise to do our very best to provide a high quality of service and as much normalcy as possible. Our June and July classes were highly successful in providing the same quality of service as before while utilizing most of these precautions. I know for many of you the mask mandate is an issue, and we want you to know ask soon as that mandate is lifted it will become optional. Our staff will continue to wear masks as long as it is recommended in an effort to protect students, but we are very aware that activity in a mask can be difficult for some. We will allow for breaks as necessary and hope that you are all willing to work with us within the mandates and recommendations we are receiving.